Chance
by Amelia Ren
Summary: Sometimes you have to learn to trust in change and chance.
1. Chapter 1

Those of you who have me on alert are going to grab your pitchforks and kill me, I know, but you have to understand that the mind wants to write what the mind wants to write! The other stories ARE NOT abandoned and will be continued. Have no fear!

...

The snow was beautiful this year and it fell like flower petals, coating the ground in its essence.

Yet, it was still so cold.

Kagome shivered under the jumper she had purchased when the winter chill had set in. "I hope Miroku can stop flirting long enough to get us a room for the night" she whispered. Her words caused the air to mist; reminding the young woman of simpler times when she and her brother would pretend to be dragons of myth.

Kagome giggled fondly, but the sound quickly caught in her throat when her eyes found a familiar figure barely hidden in the shadows of the forest line. She stumbled as apprehension quickly turned to realisation. _I must look absolutely mad._

She blinked in embarassment.

He did not return the sentiment, merely quirking one pale eyebrow.

"Sesshomaru-sama, what brings you here?" Kagome enquired, regaining her confidence. However instead of answering, the demon lord disappeared from the shade to reappear at her side, making her jump. The woman shot him a look out of the corner of her eyes in annoyance before huffing and looking away again. "How can I help?" she smiled up at him.

"Where is my half-brother?" he intoned.

"Last I checked he was with the others beating some sense into our… _gracious_ host" _more like an ignorant idiot! _Kagome's eye twitched "since he seems against letting anyone of demon blood enter his home despite your brothers aid in ridding the village of bandits" her lips thinned in bitterness, she never could understand such prejudice.

"Hn" Sesshomaru turned fully to look down at the small woman, before issuing his warning "Then tell the half-breed that should he fail to find lodge for the night, to refrain from hunting the near-by demons. They are under my protection and any attack against them is one against this Sesshomaru and his Kingdom"

He towered over her easily, quite intimidating to anyone.

Kagome wasn't just anyone.

Her voice stayed low but it seemed to warm her more than any blanket "I understand that you've got a Kingdom to run here Sesshomaru but you don't have the right to come up to me and start making threats. We wouldn't harm _any_ demon that didn't attack us first." Rant over, the miko's chin lifted in defiance.

His eyes narrowed in disdain.

"And if said demon carried a shard?"

"Then you would be an idiotic demon lord not to have removed the threat from your lands before pledging your protection."

He froze in shock at her daring, and seeing her chance Kagome stood. This time her voice, still strong, was quiet. "You have my word that InuYasha will not harm those under your protection tonight" With one last look she turned heel and made her way back to her group.

_So much for admiring nature's beauty…_

She sighed, then glanced back over her shoulder to see if the stoic demon had left.

There he stood, regal as ever, with a goddamn _smirk_ on his face. _The nerve! _She glared.

"I will take my leave now miko, but take my advice. No amount of heated words will warm you from this night." His eyes steady with seriousness "Stay by the fire, lest you catch illness" with that he stalked back to the forest.

Her breath caught.

"I will not be pleased if you become another worthless player in the quest to defeat Naraku."

Breath returned.

But before the woman full of confused indignation could respond, his form moved into the forest, seemingly melting like the snow into its midst. With his parting all of the emotions that had swirled like a storm within the miko seemed to settle. With the calm, a small, secret smile adorned her face.

"Perhaps I found something of nature to admire after all"

The woman blinked the snowflakes out of her lashes, peering under them at the sky.

"Cold but so, _so_ beautiful" she whispered.

And this time the heat of her breath coupled with the heat of her heart, _was_ enough to warm her.

_What a way to spend Christmas…_

_..._

I will be eternally grateful if you post, even a small, review!


	2. Chapter 2

Yes, I live and so does this story! Please enjoy chapter 2 :)

…

Rin had grown into a young woman of remarkable beauty, which caused many problems once she became of age. Her hand was soon sought after and many men came demanding a meeting with her lord. However Sesshoumaru, like any dog demon, was incredibly possessive and refused to even hold talks with the neighboring Lords for almost an entire year, sending them all away with a click of his claws and a flash of his fangs.

Yet his resolve broke when he overheard that a young, handsome, kind Lord with an affinity for nature was looking for a bride. He sounded like an agreeable match for his young Rin. Within traveling distance, wealthy and one that enjoyed the joy that nature could bring him. His Rin was nature personified.

Sesshoumaru sighed at the memory.

The young Lord had been thoroughly searched before being called upon for negotiation. They had found nothing that could be discrediting, which while suspicious, was a welcomed relief. Quickly after an agreement had been reached the young couple met for the first time. It had went well until Rin learned of who the boy was.

"_How could you do this to me?"_

Sesshoumaru winced.

_Tears ran down her defined cheeks as he refrained from wiping them away, and along with them her fears._

The demon Lord stopped walking down the long hall of his palace.

"_How could you!"_

He slowly pressed a clawed finger to his forehead, rubbing away the stress lines. It had been for the best, for now she was a human woman and he would not deny her the rights and expectations of one. He would give her as much of a normal life as he could, given her circumstances. It was the only way to repay her devotion to him over these years. Years that had quickly passed by the demon until he was left in a daze one morning as he went to gaze at a child and saw only a woman. It shocked him to the point where he left the castle grounds for nearly a full moon cycle.

He cringed again. _It's for the best._

Sesshomaru continued walking until he reached a large wooden door over which Rue had been plastered. Rin always had a habit of decorating the palace with all kinds of flowers, however with her wedding due they had all been taken down. It seemed she had decided to rebel. He didn't want to but he couldn't condone the behavior, so slowly he reached up and plucked the Rue before crushing it in his palm.

Looking up, golden eyes scanned the door before a still-fisted hand reached for it and knocked.

"Enter"

…

_Rue signifies Regret._


End file.
